How to Classify Web Hosting

There are many metrics for which to classify a web hosting provider. These are commonly used to determine the costs and benefits of starting a website from the ground up. With so many web hosting providers to choose from, it can be difficult to know which companies are the best. The most common aspects of classifying web hosting include:

Cost

Programming languages

Operating systems

Web servers

Features

The first question most new owners ask is regarding the costs of running a site in order to set a budget. Over the past 10 years, web hosting has become inexpensive due to budget hosting. Many of the inexpensive hosts cost less than $5 per month. For only a few dollars more per month, you can acquire some excellent features.

Another inquiry by website owners is the programming languages used on the server. This will allow them to customize the site by increasing interactive features. Commonly used languages include, ASP, JSP, PHP and Perl. These are all web-based programming languages that provide full user’s command.

The third classification is the operating system used on the server. The choices are usually Windows or Linux. The above programming languages only work on one operating system or the other. Therefore, you must choose which operating system based on your specific needs. There are equal advantages and disadvantages of both.

The next classification is the features of the web servers. These commonly include performance and connection speed as well as the type of hosting. The choices are, shared hosting, dedicated hosting and Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting. Each option has a different cost for monthly service.

The last classification is the features offered by the web hosting provider. These are typically the extras you receive after signing up. For instance, many web hosting providers are now offering simple WordPress setup from the control panel which makes it much easier for users to create a blog or storefront.

Due to the number of web hosting providers currently available on the internet, it can be difficult to classify them all. Using these five categories can help you make a more informed decision and discover what you really want your website to be and what tools you need to achieve that goal. As more providers are added to the internet offering additional features to have an edge on their competition, more categories will develop to differentiate the good from the bad.

An independent Internet professional currently living in LA, California. Helping people and businesses prosper online since 2006. Follow me on Twitter and Google+.

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